Folding crate.



No- 758,961. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

i 0. W. BASTON.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLIOLTIOI FILED NOV. 27, 1903.

10 MODEL. 2 SHEETS SHEET I.

ame/Moe UNITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

ORLANDO W. EASTON, or (JHESTER, ARKANSAS.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 758,961, dated May 3, 1904,

Application filed November 27, 1903. Serial No. 182,857. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLANDO W. EASTON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chester, in the county of Crawford and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to shipping-crates, and more particularly to that variety thereof which are commonly termed collapsible and adapted to be folded, so as to occupy a small amount of space; and my invention consists of certain novel features of combination and construction of parts, the preferred form whereof will be hereinafter set forth.

The prime object of my invention, among others, is to provide a folding crate of very simple construction, which may consequently be cheaply manufactured and sold at a small price. p

A further object of my invention is to provide suitable securing devices which will be of simple, though reliably efiicient, character, whereby the box may be securely locked when loaded or filled ready for shipment.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 shows a perspective detail view of my invention complete ready for use as a shipping-crate. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of Fig. 1, showing the lid disposed in a closed position. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the body portion of my crate, showing one end section folded down upon the bottom of the crate proper. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of the lid of my crate removed from the body portion thereof, While Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of the preferred form of locking device for my crate removed from the lid-whereby the details thereof will be readily understood.

In describing my invention numerals will be employed to designate the various details and cooperating accessories, the same numeral being applied to a corresponding part throughout the views.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates the lid of myfolding crate, which is provided at each end with the downwardlyprojecting lips or end sections 2, which are properly reinforced or braced by means of the corner-plates 3, properly secured in place and preferably made of sheet metal of suitable character, whereby the ends thereof may be bent down against the contiguous part of the lid and the end sections and secured by screws, nails, or the like, as will be readily understood. The end sections 2 are so disposed that they will fit down over or receive the ends of the box or body portion of my crate, which latter consists of the two end sections 4 and t, the side walls 5', and the bottom 6, the lower part of the end section being equal in height to the thickness of the upper part of the end sections and center section where used. This piece? is also to lend strength to the bottom section and to fasten the reinforcing flanged metal plate across the ends of the bottom section 6. I also provide a suit-' able partition 7 in crates designed for shipment of eggs, berries, fruit;&c. ,when partition is necessary, which partition may be held in place in a variety of ways, as by fitting between-two parallel grooves secured to the side walls 5, or said partition may be provided upon its upper edges with pins 8, adapted to take into corresponding apertures 9, formed in lid-section 1, or, if preferred, hooks may be located upon the sides of the partition 7 and adapted to take into suitable apertures (not shown) in a contiguous part of the side walls.

allowing the end walls to be folded directly inward upon the bottom section 6. Each end wall is in two sections and is provided with a handle-plate 11, having a suitable recess or groove 12, whereby the fingers may be entered to lift the crate.

The upper edges of the end walls 41 may be secured in a variety of ways, as by means of the outwardly-swinging hooks 13, adapted to fit suitable recesses 14 in a contiguous part of the side walls 5, thus preventing the end walls from falling inward while empty or being filled without the necessity of providing cleats or ribs to accomplish this same purpose, thereby greatly and unnecessarily increasing the thickness and weight of the crate.

It is thought that the hook-sections 13 will be found amply sufficient for all ordinary practical purposes in holding the end walls 1 in an upright position; but additional means may be provided for this purpose, as well as for holding the lidsection 1 in a locked or closed position. With this end in view I have provided the locking-bar 15, properly mounted in suitable grooves and staples on the inner side of each end of the lid 2, said rod having a controlling-handle 16, whereby it may be turned in either direction. The lower end of the rod 15 is provided with the inwardly-directed finger 17, which is adapted to take into a recess 18, formed in the upper and outer side of the handle-plate on the end wall 1, and it is therefore obvious that when the rod or shaft 15 is turned so that the finger 17 will be directed into the slot 18 the lid will be securely held in place. I also provide the rod 15 with the lugs or arms 19, and to the free ends of said arms I pivotally connect the locking-rods 20, each of which is so bent at its outer end as to be provided with the inwardlydirected stem 21,'which is adapted to take into suitable apertures provided in the corner of the side walls 5. The locking-bars 20 are held in place as by means of the staples 22 or other equivalent means, and it is therefore obvious that when the handle 16 is turned so that it will point toward the middle of the crate-lid the finger 17 will be directed into the slot or groove 18, while at the same time the stems 2.1 will also be caused to take into the apertures provided in the corner-section of the side walls 5, and thereby prevent the lid from being raised from the box. When, however, the handle 16 is turned so that it will lie parallel with the end lip 2, the arms 19 will be swung around so as to extend parallel with said lips and incidentally cause the stems 21 to be moved outward sufficiently to become disengaged from their apertures or recesses in the corners of the side walls 5.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple form of collapsible shipping-crate the parts of which may be very cheaply manufactured and assembled each in its respective operating position, and while I have described the preferred combination and construction of parts deemed necessary in carrying outmy invention I desire to comprehend all substantial equivalents and substitutes.

The side walls 5 may in some instances extend directly from the bottom section 6 upward to the full height desired for the crate, or, if preferred, auxiliary side walls 5 may be permanently connected to each edge of the bottom and the side walls proper, 5, hinged thereto,as indicated by the numeral 23, whereby the upper part of the sidewalls may be readily folded inward after the partition 7 and the end walls 1 have first been lowered in direct contact with the bottom, thereby insuring that the parts may be very compactly folded and the lid-section 1 placed thereon, when the finger 17 will take into the end recess 24:, formed in the lower part of theend reinforcing-plate 25.

Believing that the advantages and manner of using my improved shipping-crate have thus been made fully apparent, further description is deemed unnecessary.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described collapsible or folding shipping-crate for eggs, fruit, 'egctables and the like, comprising a suitable body-section or crate proper having inwardly-folding side and end sections and also having a lidsection provided with depending lips or members 2 at each end and a locking-shaft 15 provided at its lower end with an inwardly-directed finger and near its middle part with arms 19 and locking-rods having inwardly-directed stems pivotally connected to said arms and designed to take into suitable apertures in the walls 5, whereby when the shaft 15 is partially rotated the lid will be securely locked in engagement with the body-section and when turned in the opposite direction said lid will be released, all combined substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a collapsible or folding crate of the class described, the combination with the crate proper and lid therefor, of a locking mechanism carried by said lid comprising a lockingbar 15 having a controlling-handle at one end and an inwardly-directed finger at the opposite end, lugs or arms formed integral with said locking-bar, locking-rods 2O pivotally connected to said arms, said rods having inwardly-directed stems 21 adapted to take into suitable apertures in the walls of said crate proper whereby, when the controlling-handle is turned in one direction, the lid will be securely locked to the crate and released therefrom when the handle is turned in the opposite direction, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORLANDO W. EASTON.

Witnesses:

I. NEAL, ALoNo LINAM.

lIO 

